Talent search winner Matt Powers is set to compete in the 2020 Dunlop Super2 Series following his maiden campaign in Super3 this year.

The American had originally been slated for Super2 this year having won the Aussie Driver Search, a prize which subsequently became a drive in the Kumho Tyre Super3 Series.

Competition founder Kyle Austin has now committed to running Powers in a full Super2 campaign next season after a year in Super3.

“We’ve been working hard behind the scenes to make sure that we achieve the best outcome for Matt and our future ADS competition winners to reach our ultimate goal of running in the main game,” said Austin.

“Having a rookie go straight into Super2 was always going to be a tough call, so we feel that this is an awesome result for Matt long term.

“We are really looking forward to seeing our car in the Super3 Series this year, with a focus on making sure we hit the ground running in Super2 in 2020.”

Powers won $600,000 worth of funding for his 2019 program, part of which will be used for the coming year, with the balance going towards his Super2 effort.

“We are looking at the various ways to run our Super2 program next year,” Austin said.

“We will look to either run the car ourselves, or if we don’t achieve this, we’ll look to do a deal with another team, but in the short term, our main aim is to be very competitive in Super3 this year and give Matt the best opportunities we can.”

For his part, Powers is looking forward to blooding himself in Australian motorsport in Super3 this year before stepping up.

“Racing Super3 wasn’t the original plan, but this gives me a guarantee of a couple of years in Supercars, which is a positive,” Powers said.

“I feel that I’m going to be much better prepared for Super2 in 2020.

“For me, the goal is to hit the ground running in Super2 next year. I feel that this new deal with ADS has turned out to be a good outcome. It means I won’t be a complete rookie in Adelaide (Super2 Round 1).”

Powers will begin his Super3 campaign in an ex-Tickford Racing FG Falcon, which will be engineered by Jason Bright, at the WD-40 Phillip Island SuperSprint on April 12-14.